


Frost Wolf

by Shadowfire23



Category: Original Work
Genre: Shifters, Snow, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-04-24 00:36:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14344272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowfire23/pseuds/Shadowfire23
Summary: The snow crunches as my worn hiking boots break through the thin crust that has formed over the crystalline powder. My breath rushes out in shimmering clouds that puff and billow in the still, cold air. I drop to my knees as I reach the base of a massive snow drift. The drift is taller than my head and at least ten feet in width. The ice encased snow shimmers in the weak moonlight as my breath melts little patches. I am lost in a White winter world.





	1. Snow

The snow crunches as my worn hiking boots break through the thin crust that has formed over the crystalline powder. My breath rushes out in shimmering clouds that puff and billow in the still, cold air. I drop to my knees as I reach the base of a massive snow drift. The drift is taller than my head and at least ten feet in width. The ice encased snow shimmers in the weak moonlight as my breath melts little patches. My stiff, frozen fingers crunch through the shell, breaking the silence that has descended around me.The shadows have fallen now, and they won’t lift for some time yet. I pause in my digging and packing as first one, then three, then ten ghostly howls spill into the night air. Their echoing sounds send stronger shivers through me, momentarily breaking my daze. I pack the snow tight, burrowing deeper to make a shelter from the frost ridden wind. I hit ice, and scrape until I have a circle big enough to have a fire that I can use to warm the air. Air whistles down my parched throat, so I shove some snow in my mouth. The burning cold of it scalds my tongue as I swallow the cold wetness it provides. The shadows descend the deeper I dig into the drift, and I make myself a hollow that I san stand in. Packing the snow, I make a hole in the roof to let the smoke and ash out of my snow cave. That done, I rest my frozen body for a minute. Just long enough to catch my break, but not long enough for my muscles to stiffen and lock.  
I crawl back into the searing winter night to collect branches for a fire. I make my way to an old evergreen, listening to the sounds of the night. I tug on a branch, and it breaks off the tree thit a CREAK, and then a muffled popping noise. As the branch dropped to the snow, shedding dry, frozen needles, I am pelted with bits of frozen sap. I drop next to the ground next to the branch, frantically shoving the sap in my mouth. It sits on my tounge with the weight and texture of a stone but with the taste of frozen peppermint, so cold it felt like my tongue was burning. I swallowed hastily, the sap making a dull thumping sound as it hits the bottom of my empty stomach. I can feel the cold radiate out to my bones as the sap melts and my stomach starts to digest it, complaining all the way. It has been so long since I ate last that I’m surprised that it hasn’t eaten itself.  
I drag the broken wook back to my little snow cave, breaking the branch further to drag it inside. I make a little pile on the flat area I scraped relied, and set about getting the fire started, lighting a small pile of pine needles with one of my few remaining matches. The blaze stars up, and As the warm heat fills the space, I curl up, and my mind drifts. Not asleep, but not awake, caused by the cold and the adrenaline still coursing through my body. The world slowly dims as the adrenaline runs out, and the fire warms my frozen limbs. I slip into a half asleep state where I am aware, but not. The song of the wolves finally lull my mind into darkness.  
Swaying. A warm heat pressed to my side. I’m being carried.I see ashes in the snow, my shelter from the wind melted and torn apart by something warm, and evidently mad. The cold wind whips through my hair as whoever is carrying me drapes something burning warm across my frozen lap, pulling my limbs into the confines of the warm fabric. I catch sight of a broad shoulder as I am shifted. Faint murmurings that my brain can’t form into words. I catch that faintly sounds like my name, but can’t force my limbs to respond. The world fades back to black. The only thing I am aware of is the steady heat pressing into my side.


	2. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rescue. Or is it?

Swaying. A warm heat pressed to my side. I’m being carried.I see ashes in the snow, my shelter from the wind melted and torn apart by something warm, and evidently mad. The cold wind whips through my hair as whoever is carrying me drapes something burning warm across my frozen lap, pulling my limbs into the confines of the warm fabric. I catch sight of a broad shoulder as I am shifted. Faint murmurings that my brain can’t form into words. I catch that faintly sounds like my name, but can’t force my limbs to respond. The world fades back to black. The only thing I am aware of is the steady heat pressing into my side.

Something warm trickled down my throat, thawing my ice cube of a stomach. The heat radiates out, warming my body from the inside. My frozen muscles thaw and release from their stiff positions. I relax back onto something soft and warm. My thawed fingers move sluggish up as I try to figure out what I am laying off. I can feel it moving with me, but also against me. Almost alive. I feel something shift under me, then something is licking my fingers, something warm and sticky coats them. I wrench my eyes open, letting off a startled gasp as I catch sight of the wolf calmly licking my hand. Something moves on the side of me, then I am shifted off the wolf, landing painfully on my back as my head throbs from the sudden movement. Then I catch sight of someone kneeling over me. I let out another gasp, and scoot away. The wolf is gone. Where did it go? And where did this strange man come from? I try to speak but my throat is swollen and scratchy and all that comes up is a gurgling croak.

“Shh. Don’t try to speak. You will be sore and tired for a few days. You were nearly dead when I found you. Can you nod if you are hungry?” I think about it. My stomach feels hollow. I nod my head, once again making that rasping noise. “Let’s get you some more broth.” Broth. That must be the warm liquid that went down my throat, that warmed me and woke me up. He hands me a ceramic mug. The broth is a brown color and has a distinct smell of beef. I can feel the heat radiating out of the mug and into my stiff fingers, warming them. I tip the broth into the mouth, sipping it down greedily. It has been too long since I had anything of substance in my belly. I groan with pleasure as the warm broth fills my belly, and hold out the cooling mug for more. He chuckles “I think you have had enough for now. Let your stomach digest that for a bit, ten we’ll see how you feel.” He takes the mug from me, disappearing into another room. Soon the wolf comes back in, making a chuffing whine. I let out a rough laugh and stick my hand out. If the animal is inside it has probably been raised by humans, and is unlikely to hurt me. I think if it was going to hurt me, it would have done so while I was sleeping. The wolf sniffs my hand, licks my arm, then turns back out of the room.

The man walks back in. “What’s your name? And your wolf’s? Is your wolf male or female?”

“I see the broth has given you your voice back. I am Keith, my wolf is male, and will respond to Keith and also Rosco. He won’t hurt you, but he tends to be grumpy when strangers roll off the bed and lay on him for extended periods of time.”

“Bed?” I look around - there is a small be sitting in the corner of the room. I haven’t moved since I woke up, and I am sitting on the floor in the middle of the room , a good five feet from the bed. “I moved? When? How? In my sleep? I don't remember moving. In fact, I don’t remember anything beyond my name and my time in the frozen forest. I don’t even know how long I was out there. The sun was in the sky when I got there. I remember that. It set once, and hasn’t risen beyond the horizon since.” I shake my head. “Even my name is fuzzy. And silly too, given where we’re at. My name’s Snow. Snow Ashton.” His face twists into a smile, then we both are laughing. I soon stop, my sides aching as I try to take in air, and continuing laughs force it out. “I know right? Totally appropriate given that we’re surrounded by the forest of snow.”

“Certainly one of  the worst names to have when in the middle of a snow covered forest.”

"I definitely agree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think? I am always ready for comments!


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